The Department of Justice (DOJ) is receiving growing criticism after charging a Democratic congresswoman while at the same time dismissing charges against another Democrat who was arrested during the same event. This, along with a recently opened investigation into the mayor of Chicago, has led to claims that the DOJ is conducting investigations into well-known Democratic officials for political reasons.
The latest dispute involves Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey, who was charged by the Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, with attacking, obstructing, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers. As reported by MSNBC, the charges relate to an event on May 9 at an immigration detention center in Newark.
McIver, along with two other Democratic members of New Jersey’s Congressional delegation and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, were at the facility, stating they were carrying out federal oversight. After the incident, which reportedly involved a physical struggle, McIver was charged.
DOJ pressing charges against democratic representatives
My statement on the charges filed against me: pic.twitter.com/urxCAt1ZEc
— Rep. LaMonica McIver (@RepLaMonica) May 20, 2025
At the same time, charges against Mayor Baraka, who was also arrested at the Newark ICE facility on May 9, were dropped. Baraka said he was happy about the dismissal and shared his belief that McIver would also be cleared of charges. The difference in how the DOJ handled McIver’s and Baraka’s cases has attracted a lot of attention and criticism.
The choice to charge McIver while letting Baraka go, even though both were involved in the same incident, has resulted in accusations that the DOJ is picking and choosing who to prosecute based on politics. People are also questioning why the charges against McIver took so long to file. The arrest happened on May 9, but the charges were not officially brought until a week later.
This delay has added to suspicions that the prosecution is politically driven. The unequal treatment of McIver and Baraka, both Democrats, makes the DOJ’s actions seem inconsistent. The issue surrounding McIver’s charges is not the only one. The DOJ has also started an investigation into Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
This investigation, announced by the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, will look into whether Mayor Johnson’s office has been involved in a pattern of racial discrimination. The announcement came after Mayor Johnson spoke at a church service, where he pointed out the high number of Black officials in his administration.
The timing of the Chicago investigation, right after the controversy involving Congresswoman McIver, has caused even more accusations that the DOJ is intentionally going after prominent Democratic leaders. Critics say these investigations are not just politically motivated but also meant to scare people, discouraging them from speaking out against the administration. They argue that these high-profile, attention-grabbing investigations could hurt Democratic candidates and their chances in elections.
The accusations have been quickly condemned. Reverend Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, called the DOJ’s actions an effort to frighten critics of the president. He expressed worry that these investigations might stop people, even those who do not usually get involved in politics, from criticizing the administration’s decisions.
